Popular Bridesmaid Dresses: Styles and Colors

Popular Bridesmaid Dresses: Styles And Colors
by: Lucinda Jones

You are getting married, and could not be more excited. The hardest part may be over since you have already found the man of your dreams, but that is not to say that all of the tough wedding day decisions are behind you. Second in difficulty to finding the perfect bridal gown is the selection of attire for the bridal party. Your bridesmaids mean the world to you and you want them to look and feel as beautiful as you do on your special day. To assist you as you begin your quest for the perfect dresses, below are some of the most popular colors and styles for bridesmaid dresses today.

A chief concern of many brides is finding a dress color that will look good on all their bridesmaids. Style, on the other hand, has become less of a concern in recent years as coordinating dress styles in the same color has become a trend of increasing popularity. One way to get around the color dilemma is to choose two colors for your bridal party and intersperse them among the ladies to maximize everyone’s appeal.

Hot Colors

When you think of the hottest colors of the season, let your mind imagine all of the colors that make you think of heat and fire. Persimmon, which is the fiery cross between orange and salmon, will look great on all of your bridesmaids whether they have fair skin or an amazing tan fresh from a day at the beach. This color is sure to brighten up any bridal party regardless of the style, cut, length or neckline of the gown.

Saffron is another color that is popular this season. Its bold hues are sure to make a statement on your big day. While the pastel and daisy yellows are beautiful shades, saffron has that little something extra that trendsetters crave. This shade will look amazing on all of your bridesmaids whether they have brunette, blonde, or red hair.

Daring Colors

Some of the colors that have traditionally been thought of as taboo are becoming increasingly popular with the modern bride. In fact, the only rule when it comes to dressing your wedding that should be recognized is that there are no rules. Feel free to break any and all of them, but remember that the following colors are not for the faint of heart.

The days of only the bride walking down the aisle in white are a thing of the past. Actually, sometimes the bride chooses to forego this tradition herself. If you happen to be one of the trail-blazing brides opting to wear her favorite color in lieu of the traditional white, then nothing will make your daring choice stand out more quite like you against a backdrop of bridesmaids in white in your gorgeous wedding photos.

Another color often overlooked by brides is black. This color may once have been a definite no for bridesmaids, but weddings of today are featuring this more and more often. While no one is suggesting that you walk down the aisle in a black bridal gown, consider the striking contrast between your white gown and jet black bridesmaid dresses. While the men of your wedding party are already looking handsome in their black tuxedos, your bridesmaids can coordinate perfectly with them in their gorgeous little black dresses, enabling you to be the center of attention in pure white, like an angel.

Classic Styles

As far as style goes, the “goddess” look for bridesmaids is definitely in fashion this season, as it has been for many years. This one shoulder dress with its long flowing skirt and cascade back will evoke images of Gladiators and Coliseums in the minds of all of your guests in attendance. Add a tasteful garland of small flowers to your bridesmaids’ ensembles to complete the look with grace.

Strapless is another style that never goes out of style. If your bridesmaids are able to pull off this bold neckline then consider a chiffon skirt that hits at the knees with a satin bodice and gorgeous metallic embroidery and beading. Pairing this dress with a bright an airy color such as cornflower blue, or watermelon, will ensure your bridesmaids look as fun and fancy as they feel.

If neither of those styles works just right with your bridal party, then do not forget about the v-neck short-sleeved dress in satin. Long or short, any style of skirt will look perfect with this flattering neckline. Selecting a dress with a ruched organza sash will provide all of the ladies of your bridal party with that little something extra to accentuate or create their curves.

Browse Wedding Dresses - Browse Bridesmaid Dresses

Wedding Photography - Leave it to the professionals

Photo by: Emotion Media Services

Article By: Timory Koch

Choosing a wedding photographer is not an everyday event, , nor is your wedding. Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life. And photographs are the medium which beautifully witnesses these wonderful and magical moments for the lifetime. You put your best possible effort in every field , be it your valuable time or your money on the ceremonies like engagement, wedding reception etc and the wedding album is the only medium which preserves this forever. And that is why the wedding album should be unique and outstanding. So that later on in your life whenever you look at your wedding photographs ,those heart-whelming and beautiful moments of your life spontaneously get alive, adding the spark of love and romance in your life.

Moreover, when we talk about a Hawaiian wedding, it is really very interesting and full of life. There are a number of ceremonies that happen in a Hawaiian wedding and everybody who is part of it including the couple - enjoy it to the fullest. However, since we know that the wedding day is a day which remains alive in memories for a lifetime. And it also lives in the pictures captured throughout the wedding ceremony. Hence, wedding photography is equivalently as important as the wedding - as it is to keep the wedding alive forever and spark the feeling of love and romance whenever you look at the wedding photographs.

Your wedding is a onetime event. Hence special care and intuitive sensitivity is required by its every aspect. To make the wedding unforgettable, choosing a professional wedding photographer is one of the most important tasks. So, one should not scrimp on the budget while hiring a photographer. The idea is that make sure you are looking for a photographer who is capable enough to capture those precious moments with the correct feelings and sentiments related to your marriage. And as a result you will adore viewing the wedding photographs time and again and cherish these memories forever.

Following are a few suggestions about choosing a wedding photographer:

Search on the Internet:
First and the foremost thing are to research about wedding photographers in your area, and gather information from their website. In fact, start searching for a professional wedding photographer several months prior to your wedding as the best professional photographers usually do their bookings a year in advance.

Check out the portfolio :
Before finalizing a wedding photographer, it is mandatory to check a single portfolio. This would help you to get an idea about what exactly the wedding album would look like. Then ask yourself, is this what you looking for?. It is advisable to decide if the sample looks appealing and real.

Examine the features of the photographs:
Be sure to examine the color, composition, clarity and exposure of the photographs captured by the photographers. With this you will get to know about the photographer’s style of taking pictures.

Check wedding photography equipment:
It is very important to discuss the wedding photography equipments. You should be aware about the type of camera and equipment used by the photographers during the wedding.

To check for backup equipment carried by the wedding photographer:
If in case the original equipment all of a sudden stops working properly, during the wedding is going on, the wedding photographer will need a back up equipment. Hence, make sure the wedding photographer carries the back up equipment.

Therefore, it can be concluded from the above discussion that instead of worrying about your wedding photography, , just hire a professional photographer who would capture the right pictures in the right order. Moreover, you can enjoy the real essence of the day and can concentrate on each other and give up the worries of wedding photography on a professional wedding photographer who would make your wedding a lifetime unforgettable experience with everlasting beautiful series of moods and moments captured in his/her camera.

Shop Fresno Wedding Photographers !

My Fair Wedding TV Show, A MUST SEE For All Brides!

Host: David Tutera
Show: My Fair Wedding






As a wedding professional who has worked in the industry since 1991, I can honestly say that Central California is behind in wedding style. No offense to anyone who may read this, and don't get me wrong, , , I've seen a fair number of what I would refer to as "high-end" weddings, , , ,however, overall, the weddings I've seen and have worked at in Central California are quite lacking in the "style" department.

Often, when I learn about how much a couple spent on their wedding, I expect to see the most fabulous wedding ever. This expectation however, is almost always a big let down, when I finally arrive at the ceremony location, only to see little to no decorations for the ceremony, , and then the most simple, plain (even boring) decor for the reception.

Granted, the economy has not been great, however, surprisingly, wedding spending has been affected very little according to third party statistics. So, where's all the money going?, one might say! Although this is not a question that any one person can answer, , , , through the years, I've seen some (in my opinion), very petty wedding spending.

Petty wedding spending? Yes, and I'm NOT referring to money well spent on a wedding photographer, or a wedding florist, or a fabulous wedding cake. I'm referring to money, that has been spent without in depth research. By that, I'm referring to couples who may simply and quickly spend money on (for example) a local memorial building in order to save money on their overall wedding costs. My experience has taught me that in the long run this type of thinking can actually end up costing the couple as much, or more than they would have spent on a much nicer, prettier, all inclusive venue that specializes in weddings.

Imagination!!!!!
Imagination is (for me), the best way to stretch your wedding budget. Engaged couples today, may be too busy, or stressed to even imagine having an imagination. Believe me when I say this, , , , some of the most memorable, visually stunning, and gorgeous weddings I've had the pleasure of working at, have been of the couples who not only budgeted for a fabulous wedding, but also used their imaginations to make the most of every dollar spent. Use your creative abilities, or that of your friends and family to help you come up with, or even create the most fabulous visuals, and decor for you and your guests to remember forever!

Color Your Wedding Beautiful!

Choosing the right colors for your wedding ceremony and reception decor are very important early on.

My thinking is that you should choose your colors and theme before you do anything else. Not only should you make your colors decision, but you should stick to it as well. Many brides bounce from one idea to another and this accomplishes nothing but killing time.

One of my favorite color selecting ideas is to visit a fabric store and browse their fabrics. Play with the fabrics and swatches while there, and if the fabric store has crafts and silk flowers play with them as well to come up with accent or centerpiece ideas.

Popular fabrics for decor items are:

Tulle which is an afforable way to make chair sashes and bowes, or simply hide things that are unattractive.

Organza (more expensive), which can be used for ceiling drapings, back drops, table runners, or full table linens.

Taffeta (usually more expensive than organza), can be used for accents, or decorative table runners, wrapping for the bridal bouquet stems, and more.

Another great way to pick your colors is to browse stationary, or better yet wedding invitations. There are new chick styles that allow couples to show off their personality. Pick your invitations, and match everything after that to them!

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE WEDDING INVITATION IDEAS!

Good luck with your wedding planning! Charish ;-)

Jill and Kevin's Unique Wedding Entrance Dance!

This is no boring wedding ceremony entrance! I believe this may be the beginning of a new trend. Why not?!

Some New Top Wedding Dance Songs & Ideas - by: Linda Dunkelberger

"Lucky" by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillet

"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay (great for during the cocktail hour or between dinner courses.)

"Good Time" by Alan Jackson (great song for right after Dinner)

"The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson (great song for the cake cutting)

"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyonce (great for the bouquet toss)

"Beautiful" by Akon

"So What" by Pink (great song to play to get people out on the dance floor after a slow song)

"Just Dance" by Lady GaGa (great song to get the party started)

"Green Light" by John Legend (great song to play toward the end of the night)

"When the Night Comes" by Dan Auerbach (great as a last slow song for the night)

Wedding Ceremony Pew Decoration Ideas

Wedding Ceremony Pew Decoration Ideas

by: Jevans



Another great way to add some color and class to your church or ceremony location decorations is to have pew decorations. Now, I wanted to have pew decorations as part of my wedding decorations, because I just think it adds so much to the overall look and transformation of a church or chapel into a beautiful and elegant place to have a wedding. I chose to have pew bows for my pew decorations and go into a little more extensive detail about it in previous articles such as Do I need Church Decorations and How to Make Pew Bows. I knew there were lots of ideas for pew decorations that I could go with and any one of them would be beautiful, but I thought that pew bows with sparkle ribbon and lots of tulle would look best in our church, and would create the look that I was going for. But, if you don't like pew bows or perhaps are just looking for different ideas for pew decorations, then here are some other popular ideas to help you out.



Pew Decorations With Flowers:



One great and popular way to add some color and style to your pew decorations is to use flowers. The flowers can be real or face, or even a mixture of both to help save on costs. I remember I tried to have real flowers for all of my pew decorations, and the cost from a local florist was not within my budget. So you can consider, only having arrangements on the first few pews to help save on costs, or you can integrate fake flowers to help stretch your dollar and still give you some beautiful pew decorations. Or, you can attach a single flower to the end of each pew, simple and elegant. Another popular idea for pew decorations with flowers is to use flower balls. I'm not sure if this is what they are called, but if you've looked at any pictures on the Internet, then you know what I'm talking about. attach a ribbon to these flower balls and hang them from the ends of the pews, or even every other pew, you've got an elegant pew decoration that is sure to have your guests take notice. Find a local wedding florist.



Pew Decorations with Candles:



If you are having a themed wedding, then look for pew decorations that will go along with your theme. For example, a friend of mine had a beach wedding, and they attached tall tiki torches to each pew. They didn't light them (for safety reasons) - but the sight was enough. If you are having a western wedding theme, then you could hang cowboy hats to the end of your pews or bandannas tied around some simple white daisies are pretty as well.



There are lots of different ideas that you can use as your pew decorations. Get creative and try them out in your wedding location to make sure they'll hold or give the look that you want them to give. One thing is for sure, the right pew decorations will really help your guests get excited about the transformation of the church as well as being excited about your wedding!

Wedding Cake - Bakery Tips

Wedding Cake - Bakery Tips
By Nina Ramonav

Below you will find list of questions you should ask the pastry chef, baker, or cake decorator at the wedding cake bakery. It is your special day you have every right to ask questions!

Questions to ask at the bakery:

1. Can pastry chef/cake decorator create custom cake from your instructions and to look like your wedding-cake picture.

2. What flavors of wedding cake and icing are available? Or if you already have an idea what you want, ask "Can you make a (type of cake) with (flavor of icing)?"

3. Ask to sample some of the bakery's cakes. If you don't care for any of the cake samples offered by the bakery, ask for additional samples or as what other choices are available. Even if you have to order a small cake to try the baker's version of what you want, it is a small price to pay for satisfaction.

4. In case you want to use fresh flowers to decorate the wedding cake, ask if the bakery can provide them or if you or a florist must deliver them.

5. Request to see pictures of wedding cakes from their photo gallery. Take a look at their album and see if you like the looks of the cakes. Ask how old the pictures are and if the person who baked and decorated these cakes is the same person who will create yours.

6. Does the bakery, baker, pastry chef, or cake decorator has the required licenses and has passed health inspections. Licensing varies from state to state, but a bakery is probably required to be licensed as a retail food establishment or as a food preparer. The health department of the city, county, or state probably issues licenses. The baker, pastry chef, and decorator may also be required to be licensed or qualified as a food handler. You can go to most states' web sites and find out just what licensing is required so that you know what to ask for. Most bakeries will gladly let you look at the kitchen to see where the cake will be mixed, baked, decorated, and stored; this is probably as satisfying as seeing the licenses. You should probably ask to take a peek at the kitchen after asking about the licenses. You can also ask to see the results of the latest health inspection.

7. If you simply don't like frozen food and don't want it served at your wedding, ask if the wedding cake will be frozen. But understand that some people believe the taste of several cakes improves after freezing.

8. Ask how long before the wedding date the cakes will be prepared and how they will be kept until time for delivery. If you think the time or the method of storage will result in the bridal cake not being as fresh as you want, express your feeling to the person you are talking with. He or she either will explain or demonstrate that this will not be a problem or will negotiate a shorter length of storage. She may let you sample some cake kept for that length of time. Some cakes keep well when frozen, and others do not. Pound cakes and some carrot cakes seem to improve with freezing. If you are not satisfied and cannot reach some agreement, you must use another bakery.

9. To find how much time and attention will be spent on your cake, ask how many orders the bakery typically has for the weekend of your order and how many of those your pastry chef might be producing. A large volume can be an indication that not a lot of time and attention can be devoted to your cake. But a very busy bakery also indicates that many people like its products and trusts its work. Wedding cake bakery that no one likes will have plenty of time to dedicate to your cake, but that alone will not guarantee good results. Neither will a very busy bakery guarantee good results all the time. For one, you may need to check with them during the week of production to make sure that things are going well. For the other, you may want to check to make sure that your order has not somehow been overlooked among so many orders. In either case verify that your cake is in the process of being prepared.

10. Ask if the decorator is experienced and good and if he or she decorated the cakes pictured in the bakery's gallery.
The point of such a question is to find out whether you will be getting the best the bakery has to offer and whether you will be served by the same personnel that did the work seen in the bakery's photo album and for the references you will contact. You may be satisfied that all decoration is supervised by a master decorator with long experience and excellent references, even though the actual work may be done by one of several less experienced decorators.

11. Ask to be introduced to each of the people who will bake, decorate, and deliver the cake. You may have questions you want to ask. If you do, ask them. For example, you might be concerned with the experience each one has. If so, you might ask how many cakes they have baked or decorated. I might be more concerned to simply ask whether they did the cakes in the bakery's album of cakes. If you have no questions, ask to meet them anyway. Introduce yourself and try to make it easy for them to remember your name and your face. Show a great pleasure at meeting the people who have created the wonderful masterpieces that have come from this bakery and tell them that you look forward to having them create your wedding cake. What you are creating is a personal relationship with these artists at the wedding cake bakery. Like all workers and artists, these people like being appreciated and will do their best work for someone who has praised them and treats them as a master of their craft. This goes as well for the person taking your order, whether it is the owner, manager, or just the order taker. I suggest that you work to make as good an impression on them as you expect them to try to make on you. Dress well when you are shopping for a bakery. You don't have to dress like you're meeting the Queen or the First Lady, but don't be dressing like you're about to be hitting the bars with your friends on your bachelorette party--not unless you dress a lot better for that than most of the young women in my neighborhood. Please try to time your visits so that the bakery is not crowded with customers. This is particularly important in smaller bakeries.

12. If you are concerned, ask whether the cake be made from scratch or from packaged mixes. Packaged mixes are so much more expensive that few busy bakeries would use them. And if they produce the wedding cake you want and it tastes good, do you care whether it's from a mix or from scratch?

13. Ask what the price will be. If the baker can give you an estimate but not the final cost, ask how much the final cost might vary from the estimate. If the baker says that they will charge by how long it takes because they charge by the hour, ask how many hours it will take and do the calculation yourself. Again, if it's an estimate of hours, ask how far the hours might vary from that estimate. If you feel uncomfortable with the bakery's commitment to giving you a number, maybe you should find another bakery.

14. Ask for customer references so that you can talk to with them. Then actually contact them and ask about their experience with the bakery. While they were probably very pleased with the bakery (otherwise you'd think the bakery would not be giving them as a reference), they may give you some pointers about how best to deal with the bakery.

15. Request a written proposal that includes the size of the cake, the flavor, the icing type and flavor, the description of the cake: Number of tiers or number of cupcakes or miniature cakes, decorations, the date and time the cake would be ready, whether it would be delivered and where and when, and the price. Some bakeries will put all of this in a proposal and some will commit to just the basic items.

Press for commitment to everything that is important to you.